{"schemaVersion":"jobsearcher.job.v1","id":"60c4aff72bda853f19bac59b","url":"https://jobsearcher.com/jobs/60c4aff72bda853f19bac59b","canonicalUrl":"https://jobsearcher.com/jobs/60c4aff72bda853f19bac59b","title":"Elementary Program Instructor","description":"Location: Oakland, CA\nEmployment Type: Seasonal, Part-Time, Non-Exempt\nSeason: School Year (approximately August–May)\nReports to: Site Coordinator/Manager\nAbout Oakland Leaf\nOakland Leaf was founded in 2001 by a collective of East Oakland educators intent on empowering youth voice. For more than 25 years, Oakland Leaf has evolved into a highly regarded leader in youth development and out-of-school time learning. We facilitate culturally relevant expanded learning programming for approximately 1,300 K–12 East Oakland students through seven afterschool programs at public elementary and middle schools, one paid internship program for high school students, and two 5-week summer camps. Our programming emphasizes social and emotional learning, creative expression, critical thinking, leadership development, social justice, and college and career readiness grounded in our core values of Love in Action, Cultivation, Community, Youth Voice, and Critical Thinking.\nPosition Overview\nThe Elementary Program Instructor is the frontline heartbeat of Oakland Leaf's expanded learning program at the elementary level. This role is responsible for facilitating engaging, youth-centered academic and enrichment based activities for 20 elementary-age students. At Oakland Leaf, our work is rooted in three core enrichment focuses — Health & Wellness, Arts & Culture, and STEAM — brought to life through staff who build authentic relationships with every child, nurture students' social-emotional growth, and contribute to a site culture that is warm, inclusive, and full of life.\nProgram Instructors at Oakland Leaf do not just supervise children. The Elementary Program Instructor structure, warmth, play, and patience every single day, showing up fully for students who are still learning what it means to be part of a community, navigate conflict, and discover what they love.\nThis role is ideal for someone who is passionate about working with young children, wants to make a real difference in the lives of Oakland youth, and is looking for a meaningful entry point into the field of youth development or education,\nSpecific Duties & responsibilities\nActivity Facilitation & Curriculum Delivery (40%)\nImplement and facilitate engaging, developmentally appropriate, and culturally responsive curriculum for assigned elementary student groups following Oakland Leaf's program framework and daily schedule\nPrepare for activities in advance including gathering materials, reviewing curriculum lesson plan, and arriving ready to deliver a high-quality experience for students every day\nBring creativity, energy, and genuine enthusiasm to activity facilitation including facilitating experiences that spark curiosity, invite participation, and reflect the interests and identities of the students in the group\nDeliver assigned curriculum with fidelity including any enrichment content, social-emotional learning activities, or structured programs assigned by the Site Coordinator/Manager.\nAdapt activities in real time based on student engagement, group dynamics, and the natural energy of the afternoon staying responsive and flexible while maintaining structure and purpose\nRelationship Building & Youth Development (30%)\nBuild authentic, caring, and consistent relationships with every student in the assigned group including learning names, interests, strengths, and challenges, and showing up as a trusted adult presence every day\nCreate a group environment where every elementary-age student feels seen, welcomed, and excited to participate especially students who are shy, new to the program, or struggling to connect\nSupport students' social-emotional development actively helping them navigate friendships, conflict, frustration, and big feelings with patience, empathy, a restorative lens and developmentally appropriate guidance\nRecognize and celebrate student strengths, efforts, and growth building confidence and a positive sense of identity in every child in the group\nMaintain professional, warm, and culturally responsive relationships with families at pickup including communicating student highlights and concerns to the Site Coordinator/Manager as appropriate\nStudent Safety & Supervision (20%)\nMaintain active, attentive supervision of all students in the assigned group at all times ensuring every child is accounted for, safe, and appropriately engaged throughout the program day\nEnsure an emotionally safe space for all students by maintaining strong behavior and classroom management that is restoratively and culturally responsive.\nFollow Oakland Leaf's safety protocols for student transitions, outdoor activities, bathroom breaks, emergency procedures, and incident reporting\nRespond to student injuries, illnesses, and safety concerns immediately and calmly notifying the Site Coordinator/Manager and following established protocols without delay\nContribute to a physically safe program environment by keeping activity spaces organized, hazard-free, and appropriate for the ages and needs of students served\nProgram Operations & Team Contribution (10%)\nArrive on time, prepared, and ready to contribute every program day\nParticipate actively in site staff meetings, required training sessions, and professional development opportunities bringing a growth mindset and a collaborative spirit to every team interaction\nSupport daily site operations as directed by the Site Coordinator including activity transitions, space setup and cleanup, snack distribution, and end-of-day dismissal\nCommunicate student concerns, behavioral observations, and program challenges to the Site Coordinator/Manager clearly and promptly, never holding important student information until it becomes urgent\nContribute to a positive, inclusive site team culture supporting colleagues, celebrating wins, and approaching challenges with solutions rather than complaints\nAdditional duties may be assigned by the Site Coordinator/Manager, or Associate Director.\nMinimum Qualifications\nStrong commitment to Oakland Leaf's mission and belief in the power of youth leadership and equity in education\nGenuine enthusiasm for working with TK–5th grade students with the patience, warmth, and energy that elementary-age children need and deserve\nAt least 6 months of experience working with children or youth in a program, school, childcare, camp, or community setting, formal or informal experience considered\nAbility to facilitate engaging group activities and manage group dynamics in a structured program environment\nStrong interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to build relationships with students, families, and colleagues that are warm, professional, and consistent\nBasic understanding of child development and age-appropriate expectations for elementary-age students\nReliability, punctuality, and follow-through; students and site teams depend on instructors showing up fully every day\nHigh cultural competency and a commitment to building inclusive, youth-centered program environments\nMust be at least 18 years of age\nMust pass a background check in accordance with California law and Oakland Unified School District requirements\nEducation & Experience\nExperience: 6 months of experience working with children or youth in any setting; expanded learning, school-based, or childcare experience a plus\nEducation: High school diploma or equivalent required; some college coursework in Child Development, Education, Youth Development, or a related field preferred; units toward a Child Development Permit a plus\nWorking conditions/physical demands\nOn-site position including daily presence at the assigned expanded learning site required during all program hours\nProgram hours are seasonal and align with the school year calendar typically afternoons during school days with some hours for training and events\nHighly active role, ability to be on your feet, move around the program space, and engage physically and energetically with elementary-age students throughout the program day\nAbility to lift up to 25 lbs for program setup, activity materials, and supply coordination\nOccasional evenings for family events and organizational celebrations; occasional morning hours for staff trainings\nCompensation\n$21.00–$26.00 per hour, depending on experience\nPaid School Breaks and sick leave in accordance with California law\nAccess to Professional Development opportunities during the program year\nOakland Leaf is an equal opportunity employer and will not discriminate against any individual, employee, or application for employment on the basis of race, color, marital status, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, handicap, or any other legally protected status recognized by federal, state, or local law.","company":"Oakland Leaf Foundation","rawCompany":"oakland leaf foundation","city":"Oakland","state":"CA","isRemote":false,"isActive":false,"createdAt":"2026-06-26T03:18:48.378Z","occupations":[{"code":"25-3099.00","title":"Teachers and Instructors, All Other","slug":"teachers-and-instructors-all-other"},{"code":"25-2021.00","title":"Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education","slug":"elementary-school-teachers-except-special-education"},{"code":"25-3021.00","title":"Self-Enrichment Teachers","slug":"self-enrichment-teachers"}],"industries":[{"code":"611699","title":"All Other Miscellaneous Schools and Instruction","slug":"all-other-miscellaneous-schools-and-instruction"},{"code":"611110","title":"Elementary and Secondary Schools","slug":"elementary-and-secondary-schools"},{"code":"923110","title":"Administration of Education Programs","slug":"administration-of-education-programs"}],"jobPosting":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"JobPosting","title":"Elementary Program Instructor","description":"Location: Oakland, CA\nEmployment Type: Seasonal, Part-Time, Non-Exempt\nSeason: School Year (approximately August–May)\nReports to: Site Coordinator/Manager\nAbout Oakland Leaf\nOakland Leaf was founded in 2001 by a collective of East Oakland educators intent on empowering youth voice. For more than 25 years, Oakland Leaf has evolved into a highly regarded leader in youth development and out-of-school time learning. We facilitate culturally relevant expanded learning programming for approximately 1,300 K–12 East Oakland students through seven afterschool programs at public elementary and middle schools, one paid internship program for high school students, and two 5-week summer camps. Our programming emphasizes social and emotional learning, creative expression, critical thinking, leadership development, social justice, and college and career readiness grounded in our core values of Love in Action, Cultivation, Community, Youth Voice, and Critical Thinking.\nPosition Overview\nThe Elementary Program Instructor is the frontline heartbeat of Oakland Leaf's expanded learning program at the elementary level. This role is responsible for facilitating engaging, youth-centered academic and enrichment based activities for 20 elementary-age students. At Oakland Leaf, our work is rooted in three core enrichment focuses — Health & Wellness, Arts & Culture, and STEAM — brought to life through staff who build authentic relationships with every child, nurture students' social-emotional growth, and contribute to a site culture that is warm, inclusive, and full of life.\nProgram Instructors at Oakland Leaf do not just supervise children. The Elementary Program Instructor structure, warmth, play, and patience every single day, showing up fully for students who are still learning what it means to be part of a community, navigate conflict, and discover what they love.\nThis role is ideal for someone who is passionate about working with young children, wants to make a real difference in the lives of Oakland youth, and is looking for a meaningful entry point into the field of youth development or education,\nSpecific Duties & responsibilities\nActivity Facilitation & Curriculum Delivery (40%)\nImplement and facilitate engaging, developmentally appropriate, and culturally responsive curriculum for assigned elementary student groups following Oakland Leaf's program framework and daily schedule\nPrepare for activities in advance including gathering materials, reviewing curriculum lesson plan, and arriving ready to deliver a high-quality experience for students every day\nBring creativity, energy, and genuine enthusiasm to activity facilitation including facilitating experiences that spark curiosity, invite participation, and reflect the interests and identities of the students in the group\nDeliver assigned curriculum with fidelity including any enrichment content, social-emotional learning activities, or structured programs assigned by the Site Coordinator/Manager.\nAdapt activities in real time based on student engagement, group dynamics, and the natural energy of the afternoon staying responsive and flexible while maintaining structure and purpose\nRelationship Building & Youth Development (30%)\nBuild authentic, caring, and consistent relationships with every student in the assigned group including learning names, interests, strengths, and challenges, and showing up as a trusted adult presence every day\nCreate a group environment where every elementary-age student feels seen, welcomed, and excited to participate especially students who are shy, new to the program, or struggling to connect\nSupport students' social-emotional development actively helping them navigate friendships, conflict, frustration, and big feelings with patience, empathy, a restorative lens and developmentally appropriate guidance\nRecognize and celebrate student strengths, efforts, and growth building confidence and a positive sense of identity in every child in the group\nMaintain professional, warm, and culturally responsive relationships with families at pickup including communicating student highlights and concerns to the Site Coordinator/Manager as appropriate\nStudent Safety & Supervision (20%)\nMaintain active, attentive supervision of all students in the assigned group at all times ensuring every child is accounted for, safe, and appropriately engaged throughout the program day\nEnsure an emotionally safe space for all students by maintaining strong behavior and classroom management that is restoratively and culturally responsive.\nFollow Oakland Leaf's safety protocols for student transitions, outdoor activities, bathroom breaks, emergency procedures, and incident reporting\nRespond to student injuries, illnesses, and safety concerns immediately and calmly notifying the Site Coordinator/Manager and following established protocols without delay\nContribute to a physically safe program environment by keeping activity spaces organized, hazard-free, and appropriate for the ages and needs of students served\nProgram Operations & Team Contribution (10%)\nArrive on time, prepared, and ready to contribute every program day\nParticipate actively in site staff meetings, required training sessions, and professional development opportunities bringing a growth mindset and a collaborative spirit to every team interaction\nSupport daily site operations as directed by the Site Coordinator including activity transitions, space setup and cleanup, snack distribution, and end-of-day dismissal\nCommunicate student concerns, behavioral observations, and program challenges to the Site Coordinator/Manager clearly and promptly, never holding important student information until it becomes urgent\nContribute to a positive, inclusive site team culture supporting colleagues, celebrating wins, and approaching challenges with solutions rather than complaints\nAdditional duties may be assigned by the Site Coordinator/Manager, or Associate Director.\nMinimum Qualifications\nStrong commitment to Oakland Leaf's mission and belief in the power of youth leadership and equity in education\nGenuine enthusiasm for working with TK–5th grade students with the patience, warmth, and energy that elementary-age children need and deserve\nAt least 6 months of experience working with children or youth in a program, school, childcare, camp, or community setting, formal or informal experience considered\nAbility to facilitate engaging group activities and manage group dynamics in a structured program environment\nStrong interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to build relationships with students, families, and colleagues that are warm, professional, and consistent\nBasic understanding of child development and age-appropriate expectations for elementary-age students\nReliability, punctuality, and follow-through; students and site teams depend on instructors showing up fully every day\nHigh cultural competency and a commitment to building inclusive, youth-centered program environments\nMust be at least 18 years of age\nMust pass a background check in accordance with California law and Oakland Unified School District requirements\nEducation & Experience\nExperience: 6 months of experience working with children or youth in any setting; expanded learning, school-based, or childcare experience a plus\nEducation: High school diploma or equivalent required; some college coursework in Child Development, Education, Youth Development, or a related field preferred; units toward a Child Development Permit a plus\nWorking conditions/physical demands\nOn-site position including daily presence at the assigned expanded learning site required during all program hours\nProgram hours are seasonal and align with the school year calendar typically afternoons during school days with some hours for training and events\nHighly active role, ability to be on your feet, move around the program space, and engage physically and energetically with elementary-age students throughout the program day\nAbility to lift up to 25 lbs for program setup, activity materials, and supply coordination\nOccasional evenings for family events and organizational celebrations; occasional morning hours for staff trainings\nCompensation\n$21.00–$26.00 per hour, depending on experience\nPaid School Breaks and sick leave in accordance with California law\nAccess to Professional Development opportunities during the program year\nOakland Leaf is an equal opportunity employer and will not discriminate against any individual, employee, or application for employment on the basis of race, color, marital status, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, handicap, or any other legally protected status recognized by federal, state, or local law.","datePosted":"2026-06-26T03:18:48.378Z","dateModified":"2026-06-26T03:18:48.378Z","hiringOrganization":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Oakland Leaf Foundation","sameAs":"https://jobsearcher.com"},"jobLocation":{"@type":"Place","address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","addressLocality":"Oakland","addressRegion":"CA","addressCountry":"US"}},"identifier":{"@type":"PropertyValue","name":"JobSearcher","value":"60c4aff72bda853f19bac59b"},"url":"https://jobsearcher.com/jobs/60c4aff72bda853f19bac59b"}}